My name is Margie Gacki. Welcome to my blog! I am a former medical librarian with 22 years experience in the health care field. This blog will feature consumer health information on a variety of topics and include links to authoritative web sites to help you make informed health care choices. With so much information and misinformation on the Internet, my goal is to lead you to quality health information. Feel free to e-mail me at mghealthtalk@gmail.com if you have any questions.

Disclaimer:

All material on this website is provided for your information only and may not be construed as medical advice or instruction and should not take the place of health care or services you may need. No action or inaction should be taken based solely on the contents of this information; instead, readers should consult appropriate health professionals on any matter relating to their health and well-being.

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

SEPTEMBER IS OVARIAN CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

Periodically throughout the month of September I will be featuring information on ovarian cancer since it is a very difficult cancer to diagnose.

The following information is just an overview of ovarian cancer. For more complete information, check out the links at the end of this article.

Ovarian cancer usually affects women over the age of 50, although it also affects younger women. It is a very hard cancer to diagnose since there may be no symptoms or the symptoms may be vague and hard to distinguish from less serious health issues.

Doctors can’t always explain why one women gets ovarian cancer and another doesn’t, but studies have shown there are certain risk factors for ovarian cancer:

- Family history of cancer: Women who have a mother, daughter, or sister with ovarian cancer have an increased risk of the disease. Also, women with a family history of cancer of the breast, uterus, colon, or rectum may also have an increased risk of ovarian cancer.

If several women in a family have ovarian or breast cancer, especially at a young age, this is considered a strong family history. If you have a strong family history of ovarian or breast cancer, you may wish to talk to a genetic counselor. The counselor may suggest genetic testing for you and the women in your family. Genetic tests can sometimes show the presence of specific gene changes that increase the risk of ovarian cancer.-Personal history of cancer: Women who have had cancer of the breast, uterus, colon, or rectum have a higher risk of ovarian cancer.- Age over 55: Most women are over age 55 when diagnosed with ovarian cancer.- Never pregnant: Older women who have never been pregnant have an increased risk of ovarian cancer.- Menopausal hormone therapy: Some studies have suggested that women who take estrogen by itself (estrogen without progesterone) for 10 or more years may have an increased risk of ovarian cancer.

If you experience any of the symptoms of ovarian cancer, talk to your doctor. Your doctor will talk to you about your medical history and may order one or more of the following tests: a physical exam, pelvic exam, blood tests, ultrasound, or biopsy.

STAGING:If you are diagnosed with ovarian cancer, your cancer needs to be staged so your doctor knows the best treatment to use. It is important to know if the cancer has spread. Tests that may be ordered include CT scan, chest x-ray, barium enema x-ray, or colonoscopy.

These are the stages of ovarian cancer:

- Stage I: Cancer cells are found in one or both ovaries. Cancer cells may be found on the surface of the ovaries or in fluid collected from the abdomen.- Stage II: Cancer cells have spread from one or both ovaries to other tissues in the pelvis. Cancer cells are found on the fallopian tubes, the uterus, or other tissues in the pelvis. Cancer cells may be found in fluid collected from the abdomen.- Stage III: Cancer cells have spread to tissues outside the pelvis or to the regional lymph nodes. Cancer cells may be found on the outside of the liver.- Stage IV: Cancer cells have spread to tissues outside the abdomen and pelvis. Cancer cells may be found inside the liver, in the lungs, or in other organs.

TREATMENT:

Cancer treatment can affect cancer cells in the pelvis, in the abdomen, or throughout the body:

Local Therapy: Surgery and radiation therapy are local therapies. They remove or destroy ovarian cancer in the pelvis. When ovarian cancer has spread to other parts of the body, local therapy may be used to control the disease in those specific areas.

Intraperitoneal chemotherapy: Chemotherapy can be given directly into the abdomen and pelvis through a thin tube. The drugs destroy or control cancer in the abdomen and pelvis.

Systemic chemotherapy: When chemotherapy is taken by mouth or injected into a vein, the drugs enter the bloodstream and destroy or control cancer throughout the body.

It is important that you discuss all treatment options with your doctor. You may want to get a second opinion and you probably have a lot of questions.

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Some Great Web Sites:

I want to spotlight some great web sites that will provide you with quality health-related information:

MedlinePlus: MedlinePlus is the National Institutes of Health's Web site for patients and their families and friends. Produced by the National Library of Medicine, it brings you information about diseases, conditions, and wellness issues in language you can understand. MedlinePlus offers reliable, up-to-date health information, anytime, anywhere, for free.

Yum-O: Launched in 2006 by Rachael Ray, Yum-o!® is a nonprofit organization that empowers kids and their families to develop healthy relationships with food and cooking by teaching families to cook, feeding hungry kids and funding cooking education and scholarships. Web site includes recipes, games, and much more.

NIHSeniorHealth: This easy-to-use website features basic health and wellness information for older adults from the National Institutes of Health

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About Me

I'm a former medical librarian with 22 years in the health care field. After a couple years of keeping up with my Health Talk blog, I decided to create one for my photography. I hope you enjoy the images that I'll be sharing! If you have any questions or comments, send me an e-mail at:
mghealthtalk@gmail.com.

I have a separate web site for my photography business, Faith Productions of Cumberland. I offer photo gifts and services. If you want to check out more of my photos, visit www.faithproductionsofcumberland.com.